| I am in the US - so can only give advice, not concrete info. However, I have been a teacher for 37 years, and have experience to share.
Most people discover that a franchise, or being *umbrella-ed* under another organization, works better. First of all, carrying a million dollars worth of liability insurance is not unusual in this case - the parent organization may cover you. Heck, I carry insurance on my home-based flute studio! And - advertising is not cheap, and a franchise has more clout and name-recognition.
You will need a facility. If you are an *incorporated* - 501 c 3 - not-for-profit organization, THEN you can use other NFP facilities, like a school. Otherwise, you pay rent - a church basement, or a storefront. ALL your personnel should be credentialed - certified, licensed, AND have the appropriate police and finger-print checks required in most states (again, this is for US - your must be similar).
Legal requirements will vary - you could do what we call a DBA - "doing business as" - my chamber music business is set up that way. I have NFP status for educational and fund-raising capacities for my CONCERT arm of my chamber music performing. You should be protected personally - Here, we incorporate - so that the BUSINESS might be liable for any pro0blems, but not you, personally.
I have taught middle school vocal music for many years. I *like* that age - although they are a handful. We are currently on the search committee for a new conductor for a children's choir school (Saturday school like you propose)m - not all the candidates have a CLUE about working with kids - they just want the prestige of having THEIR OWN CHOIR. Unless you are SURE that you can handle these kids - and their PARENTS - get a partner on board who KNOWS this age. If you can assemble a board of directors, with specialists in EACH area you need - real estate, legal, insurance, education, etc. - then it will be better. All this on YOUR shoulders? Hmm . . . sound like you could use a team behind you. This is WONDERFUL that you are considering this - but this is a HUGE step - bless you for underatking it!  |